


i'm right here

by chininiris



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Background Relationships, F/M, Feels, Fluff, Maybe - Freeform, Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pregnancy, Suggestive Themes, Unplanned Pregnancy, eventually, more characters to come too, that's knxouge you know how that be
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-07-24
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:07:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24400297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chininiris/pseuds/chininiris
Summary: “Amy...?”The sound of her name in that deep voice eases the stress that she feels. Shadow only calls her like that when they are alone, more often than not when they are sharing an intimate moment of any kind. His eyes search her face for answers, and she offers him a wobbly smile as her eyes fill with tears.“I... I’m pregnant.”Shadow, Amy, and the road of parenthood.
Relationships: Amy Rose & Rouge the Bat, Amy Rose/Shadow the Hedgehog, Rouge the Bat & Shadow the Hedgehog
Comments: 54
Kudos: 99





	1. the beginning

**Author's Note:**

> The initial plan had been to just rewrite all of my old stuff and only then work on brand new material, buuuut I got this idea a while ago and it wouldn't leave me alone, so here we are! I don't know what to do with this, where this is going, how long it will be, update schedules, or anything like that. I'll wing it as I go, I guess akjhasjf I just......... Love when my OTPs have kids 🥺
> 
> Once again I offer you my [shadamy playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4CWkNbRbXGuEOXf0ibny9T?si=-q7-dss-TJ-7Yhu5hL3Jzw)! Title comes from [Be Kind](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flEc35foIg0), a current favorite.
> 
> Enjoy!

The smell of sugar and roasted coffee beans attracts passersby into the small coffee shop with promises of a hot drink and sweet baked goods. It’s a bit nauseating, if Amy may be so honest, but then again, everything has left her feeling nauseous as of late.

By the entrance of the building, under decorative dark blue awnings, a group of businessmen take a break from work, their voices drifting in the air. A few girls in school uniforms push open the door to the inside of the shop, giggling to themselves with small shopping bags hanging off their arms as they enter the cozy space illuminated by warm yellow lights.

Near the metal fences that mark the outdoor area of the coffee shop, Amy watches as the small silver spoon falls from her friend’s grasp to clatter on the saucer of her drink. Objectively, she knows the quiet sound was drowned out by the rush of voices and passing cars, and yet it seemed _too loud_ in her ears.

She shifts uncomfortably as Rouge’s wide eyes rest upon her and, Chaos, she _is_ so happy. “Oh Amy, that’s wonderful news!” Quick as ever, the bat reaches over to grab her hands. Amy returns the hold just as fiercely, if not more. 

Before the drugstore test showed her the result and confirmed her suspicions, she’d been elated, too, until doubts started swarming her head once again. The happiness was short-lived and, confused and scared, she called Rouge and asked to talk to her. Rouge is older, wiser, more experienced - especially in this area. Amy hadn’t even stopped to consider if the bat would be available on such short notice, considering she has a toddler of her own to look after.

Thankfully, Rouge was more than willing to quickly meet up with Amy in the coffee shop that is halfway to both their houses. She’s sure the slight panic in her voice was the majority of the reason why Rouge agreed to it leave as soon as she’d called, but while embarrassed at her lack of composure, Amy’s glad for her presence all the same.

Some of the panic and doubt must be showing on her face, if the way Rouge tilts her head to the side means anything. She releases Amy’s hands to wipe the drool on her kid’s face, the little boy grinning up at her from behind the pastry he’s been nibbling for the past ten minutes. He looks a lot like his mother, except his fur is red and the growing hair is styled much like his father’s.

“I don’t mean to offend, hon, but you don’t seem happy,” Rouge points out, frowning at Amy even as she continues to fuss over her son. 

Amy puts her hands in her lap to fiddle with her fingers out of view. “I- I’m scared,” she admits quietly, averting her eyes. “I don’t know how he will react.” 

Rouge hums in contemplation, carefully lifting up her cup of cappuccino and taking a sip as she mulls it over. Amy’s own drink remains forgotten on the table. The hot chocolate she ordered must be cold by now. She never planned on drinking it anyway, and doesn’t think she could actually stomach it. 

“I won’t lie to you, Amy, Shadow is unpredictable.” Rouge delicately wipes the corner of her lips clean with a napkin. “There’s no telling how he’ll react to the news, but I don’t think it’s going to be anything bad.” 

She’s almost too scared of asking. “Bad like... How?” 

“Bad like leaving you, or wanting to get rid of it. So you can get these ideas out of your head.” The bat offers her a small, comforting smile, and taps her chin in thought. Amy exhales a breath she’d been holding. “Now, in all the years I’ve known him, he’s never ever hinted at wanting to have a family. It was surprising enough when you said you both were dating. He didn’t even tell me so himself!” 

Amy smiles faintly at the memory. She remembers how Rouge had nagged him when Amy announced their new relationship status, on how she didn’t like to be left in the dark. Shadow eventually made up for it by being the one to deliver the wedding invitation to her, _personally_. 

“Yes, I... I tried to talk to him about it before, but I never knew how to breach the topic.” She bites her bottom lip and sighs, wrapping her arms securely around her waist. “I don’t know what to do.” 

“Just tell him,” Rouge says softly and reaches over the table again, placing her hands on the flat surface with her palms turned up. Amy accepts the offer and clutches to her hands tightly, thankful for the support. “He may be bad when it comes to dealing with feelings and other people, but everyone can see how much you mean to him. He will need some time to get used to the idea, sure, but it’s his kid and you’re his wife. He won’t abandon the both of you.” 

Rouge’s gentle smile turns into a slight teasing smirk as she winks. “And he’s not dumb. An idiot sometimes, yes, but definitely not dumb. He knew the risks and possible consequences when he decided to not use protection.” 

Heat rises up to Amy’s cheeks, and she ducks her head to hide her flaming skin. Rouge laughs and releases her hands to tend to her son again, and Amy finally takes the first sip from her drink, shrinking back into the chair. She remembers that night all too well, when he’d returned from a long mission and surprised her with a passionate kiss while still standing in the entrance hall of their apartment. Things had escalated rather quickly from there.

Shadow had actually whispered against her bare shoulder that he _missed her._ The memory alone makes her chest grow warm with affection.

“Thank you, Rouge.” Amy offers her a smile, one that’s a little more steady this time, but only slightly. She will always be grateful for making a friend out of the former rival; her life wouldn’t be the same if they hadn’t gotten so close. “Could you help me?” 

“Of course!” She agrees immediately, clasping her hands together. “But only if I get to be the godmother!” 

Amy giggles from behind the porcelain cup. “It’s only fair, don’t you think?” 

Rouge nods, brushing her hair over her shoulder. “I did a lot of research when I had to break the news to Knuckles, so I have a lot of ideas. What are you aiming for?” She waves over a waitress to bring the bill and grabs the wallet from her purse. 

Amy knows better than to try to split the bill now; Rouge will call it a small comforting gesture to a friend in need, and will say that Amy can always make it up to her later. That’s how it usually goes with them. “Something simple, but meaningful and... Not too shocking, I guess. I don’t want to scare him.” 

“You got it, hon.” Rouge offers her another wink. “The classic reveal should work just fine.” 


	2. the gift

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may have changed the tone of this chapter at least three times. It was quite the ride, I just couldn't seem to make up my mind, but I'm pleased with this version :>
> 
> Enjoy!

It feels like she’s been standing in the kitchen for a week, but it’s been an hour at most. Amy tries to cook dinner to distract herself, and to create a more welcoming environment by the time Shadow gets home, but she’s too jittery to focus on it.

After slicing her finger twice as she tried to chop an onion, she gives up on it completely and decides they can eat some of the leftovers. Or order takeout. Or maybe not eat at all; now that she’s alone at home, her stomach is churning terribly with nerves once again. Her palms are cold and clammy, and her heart feels like it could hammer its way out of her chest at any second from how hard and fast it’s beating. 

With a bandage wrapped around her finger, Amy approaches the marble counter where the gift Rouge helped her pick waits for his arrival. It’s a standard packaging, just a nondescript white box wrapped with a neat red bow. She decided against anything too elaborate and flashy; the box is simple and discreet, but the contents are meaningful. 

Hopefully they will get the message across, but she knows she will have to say it aloud again to clear any uncertainties Shadow might have. 

Rouge’s words gave her some relief earlier, but even as Amy repeats them to herself now, they offer her no comfort. Her thoughts are running around in circles, and she can’t stop worrying over how he will react. Amy knows he won’t leave - he promised to stay with her through thick and thin on more than one occasion, and he  _ always  _ keeps his words - but she wonders if he will like to hear the news, if he will want it- if he will want the baby. 

The click of the front door lock seems to resonate in the quiet apartment. She hadn’t realized how silent it was until the sound made her jump a foot in the air in fright. Amy twists her hands together, pressing her thumb down on the bandaged cut so the slight sting of pain will keep her tethered on the moment. She hears the rustle of fabric as Shadow takes his jacket off and hangs it, then the quiet clatter as he takes his shoes off and puts them away. 

Considering he accepted one of Sonic’s offers to hang out this afternoon, it’s possible that they made plans to race in the woods near the city, hence why he’d picked his air shoes, heavy and lined with metal, the red paint chipped from use. 

Shadow is rolling up the sleeve of his sweater when he steps into the open space of their living room and pauses when he spots her hovering near the counter that leads into the kitchen. He resumes his walk in her direction as he works on the other sleeve, quirking a brow when she nearly drops the gift when trying to pick it up hastily.

They meet in the middle, stopping by one of the plush couches. The small box in her hands stands in the space between them, but it goes ignored as he studies her features. His hand caresses her cheek, always so gentle with her that it makes her exhale unsteadily. 

“Are you feeling well?” His face may betray nothing, but his eyes are full of concern. She doesn’t understand how some people find them scary when he looks at her like this. 

Amy licks her lips and lifts her hands. “T-This is for you.”

It’s not at all unusual for her to give him gifts out of the blue. Even Shadow, too, will arrive home sometimes with a gift of his own, like flower arrangements or boxes of chocolate. It doesn’t happen often, but she appreciates it even more when he does these small gestures. 

He takes the box from her hands and gives it a glance, as if trying to gauge its contents with a single look. With the way she’s acting, he might as well think she put a bomb in there. “Why don’t you sit?”

Shadow watches her for a few seconds of silence before accepting her offer. The soft cushions of the couch dip to accommodate his weight, and he takes hold of both ends of the red ribbon, pausing before pulling them free from the bow. They flutter down when he lets them go, and he gives her another glance as his fingers thumb the lid of the box. It won’t be long until Amy draws blood from how hard she’s biting her lip.

As he frowns at her anxious display, she can see when he has to stop himself from putting the box aside and asking her what’s wrong once again. Shadow sets his jaw and looks back down at the box, lifting the lid up and placing it aside. She stops breathing altogether when he reaches inside and pulls one of the contents out. 

He stares at the stick in his hand like it’s an alien object. She did the same earlier when the timer went off and she looked at the two stripes on the tiny visor, but he doesn’t seem to understand their importance, or he just doesn’t know what any of that means. 

Shadow puts it down and reaches for the other item. A pair of baby shoes - red seemed like an appropriate gender neutral color, and it’s a color the both of them like - delicate and almost too tiny in his hand. Amy feels like her erratic heartbeat will choke her sooner rather than later the more looks at them impassively, thurning the pair of shoes this way and that as his eyes narrow further. 

Then his mind seems to connect the dots and he turns in her direction, eyes now wide with shock.

Next thing she knows, she’s taking a step back as he abruptly stands, leaving everything behind on the couch. Her heart jerks in her ribcage in anticipation and apprehension, her pulse thundering in her veins even as he asks softly, “Amy...?”

The sound of her name in that deep voice eases the stress that she feels. Shadow only calls her like that when they are alone, more often than not when they are sharing an intimate moment of any kind. His eyes search her face for answers, and she offers him a wobbly smile as her eyes fill with tears.

“I... I’m pregnant.” 

His breath leaves him in a rush, as if he’s been suckerpunched in the gut, and he sharply sucks in air through his teeth again. Red eyes flicker down to her still flat stomach, and his hand slowly lifts itself from his side. It hesitates, fingers twitching for a second before splaying over her covered belly, ever so gentle and warm, careful and tender the way he always is with her. Shadow doesn’t say anything, but he continues to look at her stomach with some kind of emotion in his eyes that she can’t read and it makes fear spike in her for a split second. 

She’s tempted to ask him what he thinks, spill forth all the questions trapped in her throat, but stops herself. He will need time, Rouge had said, and right now isn’t the best time for that, thus she resorts to placing her own hand above his own as tears spill down her cheeks. 

Shadow remains silent, but he places a kiss to her brow and tucks her head under his chin, wrapping his arm around her like she’s precious, and that is enough. 


	3. the perspective

Shadow naturally doesn’t sleep much. Maybe it’s because of his biology, being part Mobian and part alien and all that. He never bothered to learn about the Black Arms past the fact that they were a violent race, but maybe they didn’t require much sleep to function, if any, and he inherited that trait. 

Or maybe it’s just a bad case of untreated insomnia, or perhaps it’s just his past keeping him awake at night, reminding him of things he’s done and would rather forget - either way, it’s rare when he gets more than five hours of sleep at night. 

Usually, while Amy sleeps peacefully by his side on the bed, snuggled close to his hip, Shadow entertains himself with reading a book or the news on his phone, or watching an action movie in a random channel he finds until sleep claims him. He keeps his laptop far from the bed, or their bedroom in general, knowing that she will be upset if he gets lost in his work when he should be resting, unless it’s an emergency. 

Tonight, however, he won’t be getting any sleep at all. 

Instead of reading thrillers and dramas or distracting himself with action-packed movies, he spends most of his time watching her slumbering form in their dimly lit bedroom, tracing mindless patterns on her arm and feeling her chest expand with deep breaths against his side. 

Amy had taken much too long to fall asleep, tossing and turning until he opened his arms and let her curl up into him. With that simple gesture, the tension in her small frame eased and she succumbed to sleep with a quiet sigh of what sounded like relief, cheek resting on the white fur on his chest.

From the moment he arrived, it was clear that something was wrong with his wife. Amy has always been too easy to read, wearing her heart on her sleeve, and perhaps that is what drew him towards her in the first place. It’s a good balance, he thinks, to have her be so open with her emotions when he is so closed off.

Later, he came to understand why her shoulders were so tight and the frown on her face could rival his own - but at the same time, he didn’t quite  _ understand _ . Not really. 

Of course, an unplanned pregnancy on its own is enough to make anyone nervous. As soon as he’d made sense of the disconnected gifts he’d been given, his head was swarmed with worries and questions. From things like how to bathe a newborn to buying proper furniture, his mind went over hundreds of questions in the few minutes he held Amy in his arms as they stood motionless in the living room.

But Shadow didn’t understand why she was so anxious in the first place, almost as if she were afraid. He had always imagined her as the kind of person who would be elated with such news. He saw as such when Rouge announced her own pregnancy months before and Amy had been over the moon.

Earlier, he decided that he would have plenty of time to figure that out later. First, he had to make sure she got some food in her, as it was clear Amy hadn’t eaten much throughout the day, and then had her shower before they retired to bed earlier than usual. 

While he’d been preoccupied with her, it was easy to keep his own thoughts at bay, but the moment Amy nestled in his arms and finally fell asleep, all his doubts sprung forth at once. 

Amy’s pregnant.

She’s pregnant with  _ his _ child.  _ Their _ child. He’s going to be a  _ father _ , and by Chaos, he has no idea how to be one. He’s never experienced any kind of familial bond past the one he shared with Maria so very long ago, so much so that the memories slip from his mind sometimes. And his “father” - well, that is self explanatory.

Hell, Shadow isn’t even good with kids in general. They usually hide or run from him because his frown is too scary. He can’t even picture himself playing games in the park on Sundays, or sitting through tea parties with imaginary food and plushie guests, or even just rocking his fussy child in his arms when it can’t sleep at night.

Amy, on the other hand, is much better at dealing with youngsters. One can easily see her as the maternal type, consoling her kid after a scraped knee accident, or reading bedtime stories. 

He has no doubt in his mind that she can make up for his lack of experience and more, but he can’t expect her to do all the work. After all, he had as much part in conceiving the baby as she had - but how is he expected to raise a kid of his own? His hands were never meant to be nurturing, much on the contrary. He was never meant to be more than the cure to an illness and a weapon.

It’s unlike him to worry over an issue this much, to overthink, but he supposes it can’t be helped. He’s unprepared, and this isn’t some mission that’s gone haywire that he can fight his way out of or improvise. It’s much bigger than that, and life-changing in a brand new way that leaves him uneasy. 

His own questionable capabilities of raising a child aside, he worries for the baby’s health and safety. Shadow is only part Mobian after all, and he wonders if that other part of him can and will be passed on to his offspring, and how it can affect them. 

Not only that, G.U.N. is also an issue. Their way of keeping him in check is keeping him within their ranks, but there’s no telling how they will react once they find out Amy is with child. Humanity still doesn’t see him with kind eyes, and the last thing he wants is for an innocent life to be treated unfairly simply for the blood relations they share. 

Sighing, Shadow closes his eyes and wills his tumultuous thoughts to calm down. They’ve run rampant for too long, and it’s long past the time that he compartmentalizes them to be tackled individually. While he’s filing them away, he starts to warm himself up to the idea of going to Rouge for help. He’s certain Amy did the same earlier, as he caught traces of Rouge’s expensive perfume on the dress his wife had been wearing, and it eases his mind some that she went after someone that they both trust for counsel.

Next, it’s his turn. He trusts the bat with his life on dangerous missions, so he might as well ask for advice on what he can do now, because he truly has no idea. 

A quiet mumble catches his attention, and he lowers his gaze to the person lying beside him, his arm instinctively tightening around her body as Amy stirs awake. It’s been about two hours since she fell asleep, and he believes she will get rest in short intervals tonight. It’s more than he will be getting for sure, but she needs it more than he does anyway.

Bleary green eyes blink up at him, and a soft hum rises up her throat as she twists in his grasp to get a better look at his face. “Still awake...?”

He offers her no reply, only pulls her face back into his chest, smiling to himself as she snuggles closer still and hums softly in contentment. “Go back to sleep,” he whispers quietly, and her breathing evens out again few seconds later. 

Red eyes trace a path from her face to her belly. He still can’t wrap his head around the fact that there’s a new life growing inside her, one that carries his genes and hers. Shadow still can’t quite believe he’s going to be a father, that he helped create a life instead of taking it, but... 

He reaches out with his other hand, carefully rubbing circles with his thumb on her cotton-covered stomach. His hands were never meant to be nurturing, but he’s learned how to use them to deliver warmth and pleasure rather than pain. Perhaps he can learn something about being a father...

Satisfied, Shadow nods to himself and stares out the window at the cityscape. They will this figure out together, he decides.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I spend too much time thinking up scenes, but not enough actually writing them. This was supposed to be published wayyy earlier, but in the end I'm glad I waited because I could replace one part that was bothering me ajkdhja I had some ideas for this that I'm excited to write :^) for the most part, all I have are a few scattered scenes planned and no concrete plan for the story (or knowledge of how to be a parent) but I'll figure it out as I go 🌸


	4. the talk

After a couple more sleepless hours, he decides to get up and start with his day. A morning run and gym session later, and he resigns himself that he will need to talk to Amy (and then Rouge, during their lunch break) about the pregnancy. Hopefully, his partner and coworker will have some solid advice to give. 

Then, during his shower, Shadow also makes peace with the fact that, while communication is key for a healthy relationship and he knows it, he sucks at communicating. 

While he can express his thoughts well enough on a daily basis, when it comes to putting his feelings into words, Shadow can't say he's the most skilled in that department, and it’s one of the few things the Ultimate Lifeform can’t do perfectly, much to his shame. But he can express his feelings through actions rather well, and that’s why Amy doesn’t doubt his love for her, even when he doesn’t say the words aloud much. 

The way her eyes brighten and her features soften whenever his thoughts finally find their way past his lips is something he will always hold dear. He remembers a few months ago how she’d gripped his arms tightly and shivered when he admitted he missed her, how she’d been pliant and soft but still full of fire as he loved her through the night. 

And that’s why he has a positive pregnancy test and a pair of baby shoes in a box on his nightstand. 

Shadow doesn’t regret that - even if he’s questioning his own capabilities of being a father, he doesn’t regret any of that - but they need to talk and come up with a plan, or something else to guide him through this. 

Not to mention, he really wants to know why she’d been so skittish when he arrived. He’d thought she’d be bouncing off the walls in ecstasy at the news. 

Shaking his thoughts away, Shadow carefully flips over the thin crepe on the pan. He figured something more elaborate was appropriate for the occasion, like a small unofficial celebration of sorts, so he dug up one of Amy’s favorite breakfast recipes and set about to cook it. The sweet crepes are sure to cheer her up, and it’s just his luck that they bought her favorite berries a few days ago when they went grocery shopping.

Personally, he's more of a savory breakfast kind of guy, but he wants to dote on her a bit this morning. Yet another wordless way to show how much he appreciates her.

Cooking isn’t an activity he partook in much in the past, but since he started dating Amy, he’s grown to enjoy it. It gives him something to kill time and be useful at once, and he rather likes the tender look on his wife’s face when he cooks something for her.

He's preparing her latte the way she likes best when Amy enters the kitchen still in her pajamas, but with a fluffy bathrobe wrapped around her frame to keep off the morning chill. The weather has been steadily getting colder, and it won't take long until Amy will want to enjoy weekend afternoons wrapped up in a blanket, watching movies in the living room. 

Even if her chick flicks are awfully boring, he doesn’t mind it; getting to relax with her in his arms for an afternoon is rewarding enough. 

She trudges over to him in a still half-asleep state and tucks herself into his back, wrapping her arms lazily around his waist and mumbling into his spine. "Good morning."

Turning around in her hold, he leans down to greet her with a morning kiss, gently nuzzling her cheek with his nose. "Morning, Rose."

Amy smiles widely and rests her chin on his chest, craning up her neck to look at him. He remembers how she once said she liked the way he spoke both her names; somehow, he makes  _ Amy _ sound intimate, and there's something romantic about  _ Rose _ when it’s said in his voice that makes her heart flutter. Shadow can’t say he does anything different to warrant such interpretations, but if it makes her happy, then he's not going to stop or change.

"I made crepes," he says, lightly nudging her to get her to move to the table, but she doesn't budge. 

"I knew something was smelling good." She's still smiling sleepily, and he almost feels bad for having to disturb her, but the food will soon get cold and they need to talk. It's best they do that when she isn't standing.

Shadow places the plates and mugs down on the table, pulling back the chair at the head for her to sit, then takes the chair to her left for himself. His plan of cheering her up with food seems to be working. Getting her to eat enough the previous night was a trial in itself, but this morning her appetite has returned to normal and Amy eagerly digs in. 

It’s a quiet meal save for the TV he had turned on earlier to listen to the news as he cooked, and the lack of chatter coming from her would have been disturbing if it weren’t for the fact that she’s too busy savoring the crepes to speak. Shadow watches her eat once he’s done with his smaller portion, sipping on his black coffee as he waits for her to be done with her meal. Once her plate is sufficiently clean of food, he lowers his mug to the table.

“I am curious about something.” She makes an inquisitive noise, turning her head to look at him. There’s a bit of fruit compote on the corner of her lips, and his own quirk slightly at the sight as he reaches out to wipe it clean with a napkin. “Why were you so nervous yesterday evening?”

Amy chokes on her last bite of crepe and stammers a bit too much before replying, “I-It was nothing, don’t worry about it.”

“Don't try to lie to me, Amy, even if you think it's a small matter.” Her shoulders shrink at the reprimand, and suddenly the tablecloth is very interesting to her. “What is it?”

She winces and begins tracing mindless patterns on the empty space beside her plate, still refusing to meet his eyes. “I- ah- I was... Afraid of how you'd react...”

His frown deepens. What is she talking about? “Please, elaborate.”

“I was afraid that you... You would react badly towards the idea of- of being a father.” Amy gulps, curling into herself with a grimace. “I couldn’t stop wondering if you’d like it? Hate it? If you’d be happy?  _ Are you happy? _ ” 

Shadow fights the urge to pinch his nose. Instead, he inhales deeply a few times, trying to ward off the sudden pang of pain that clutches his heart at her words. “Is that why you met with Rouge?”

Amy nods slightly, still picking at the tablecloth. “Yeah. I-I was freaking out a bit so I asked to meet up with her. S-She said you’d need some time to get used to the idea of being a father and... That you’d never abandon me. Us.” 

Shadow rubs his temples with his fingers as a slight headache threatens to form in response to the burst of emotions within him. He is somewhat angry and definitely exasperated, but most of all, he’s hurt. Hurt that, if even for a second, it crossed her mind that he would leave her and his unborn child, though he reasons he can’t blame her for it entirely; Shadow never hinted that he would be okay with such outcome.

He pushes all the hurt down with a calming breath and tries to find some balance. With Amy in this current frazzled state, he has to remain rational so this won’t blow out of proportions. 

Lowering his hands, he turns on his chair to face her fully. “Don’t ever dare to question my happiness when it comes to you.” His voice is both soft and firm, and the instant reassurance makes her shoulders loosen up some. 

Shadow exhales slowly and reaches for her hand, pulling it away from where she’s picking at the floral pattern. He pauses for a moment to find the right words to say to her now. “Rouge is right,” he says finally, holding her bare left hand in his and thumbing the golden band around her finger. “I do need some time. Do you want to know why?” 

Amy nods, turning her face away to try to discreetly wipe at her eyes with her other hand. Shadow frowns at the gesture; he’s made it clear plenty of times that she doesn’t need to hide her tears from him, but he also understands her desire to appear strong. 

“Because I never thought I’d have this. To have friends? Sure, I warmed up to the idea over time, but to fall in love? Have a family? I never planned for it, never saw it in my future.” Gently, he brushes his thumb over her knuckles, noticing how her hand trembles in his own. “I once had to come to terms with my feelings for you and learn to understand them. I had to do it again when I realized how badly I wanted to stay by your side for as long as you'd have me. Now is the same. A child is a big change, and it's a part of you, a part of  _ us _ , that I will cherish wholeheartedly. I told you before that I will take all that you give me and embrace it, and this child is no different.” 

Her whole frame is quivering now, quiet sniffles mingling with the droning of the TV on the background. Shadow tugs on her arm until she rises from her seat and stumbles over to him, clumsily settling on his lap before tucking her face into his neck. He wraps his arms around her and presses a kiss to the side of her head, huffing quietly as her tears soak his pajamas.

“Get that idea out of your head, Rose,” he muses in a murmur, and Amy presses her face deeper into the crook of his neck with a wet sob. “And to answer your question: yes, I am happy.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd already planned much earlier on updating this week, but in light of what's happening on twitter, it seems very fitting to drop this today. Because you know *makes vague hand gestures* we be tired of Sega's Emotion-and-Friendless-Shadow-Agenda.
> 
> I noticed a while ago that my updates kinda synced with [Mozie's "Time To Grow Up"](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23549008/chapters/56489029) (which I strongly recommend, btw!) and so I thought hmm what if I change the update date so we'll have new chapters dropping every week? So here we are *jazz hands*
> 
> If there's one scenario in particular you'd like to see, don't be afraid to drop it below; I'm always up for suggestions 🌸


	5. bonus: the realization

Twilight is falling over the city when Shadow walks through a quiet neighborhood on his way home from a mission. Rouge took off in the opposite direction towards her own much bigger and refined apartment, and Omega stayed at the HQ for some minor repairs and recharging. 

Despite the length of the mission and how much of his energy it demanded for completion, Shadow isn’t all that tired. Rouge had been ready to collapse, and Omega, though he can’t physically get exhausted, had his battery depleted to around twenty percent.

The perks of being the Ultimate Lifeform, he thinks idly, taking his time to actually walk to his destination, a tiny apartment building a good forty minutes away from G.U.N. Headquarters. It isn’t always that he slows down for one reason or another, but he’s been doing it more often as of late, especially when he ventures through this particular street.

There’s nothing special about it. It’s no boulevard with flourishing trees on each side and classy buildings looming over it, nor is it filled with electronic billboards and flashing signs. It’s just a street of small business establishments, with a tree here and there, and the occasional raised flower bed to make it more charming. 

There’s nothing special about the street itself, or all the other business for that matter, but he always finds himself back to the same little bakery of pale pink walls, white-pink striped awning, and  _ Cherry Pink _ written in white cursive just above, tucked between a small bookstore and an atelier. Shadow enters the establishment, not noticing the closed sign on the door. 

Inside, the smell of baked goods is overpowering. Though it offers only a handful of seats and tables, the place is cozy and welcoming, decorated with fresh blooms and framed pictures of flowers in black and white. The aesthetic from the outside is repeated on the inside, with light pink walls and white mobilia.

To his left, a chalkboard menu rests by the door, the day’s specials written in a girlish handwriting that dots I’s with hearts, with doodles of pink roses decorating the corners. His eyes roam over the selection - cinnamon roll, apple pie, banana bread, muffins, cookies, bagels - and his mouth waters a little, his stomach stirring now that he realizes how hungry he is. He hasn’t eaten a proper meal in a while, even if he doesn’t require much food to survive.

A mass of pink and red pushes through the door of the kitchen, a couple of travel boxes of baked goods stacked in hand, and the familiar sight of the pink hedgehog loosens up some of the tension accumulated on his shoulders.

Though he did keep his distance from her as he did with everyone else, Shadow had never had anything against the girl. Her behavior when younger was a bit exasperating, yes, chasing after that blue faker wherever he went, but still Shadow had to admit he had something akin to a soft spot for the girl who helped him remember his true promise to his long lost friend.

His few interactions with Amy Rose usually involved some race against time to save the world and were short and limited to the task at hand, and during these brief times her selflessness, cheerful and positive attitude, and strong sense of justice shone through. 

For the most part, though, he didn’t think of her or the others much on a daily basis, narrowing his world down to his team and the work that needed to be done for G.U.N. Occasionally, when Rouge was successful in dragging him to one birthday party or another, Rose would keep him company for some time until she was whisked away by her friends.

It hadn’t been until a few years after the doctor was stopped for good that he ran into her once again and things started to change. 

He just happened to enter  _ Cherry Pink _ one day, when it had been his turn to do a much needed coffee run for him and Rouge (though G.U.N. has a generous budget for their employees, the coffee in the HQ still sucks), and spotted Rose restacking the display with fresh goods. 

Shadow had never stopped to think of what her fate had been after the doctor’s fall, but he was somewhat relieved to see she’d found some purpose, even it it was more slow paced than what she was used to.

Rose had been polite and joyful, greeting him with a bright smile and making some small talk about whatever as she prepared the drinks and packed some pastries to go. He’d barely replied to her words, only grunting occasionally when he deemed necessary, and didn’t linger for more than necessary. As she waved him goodbye, he acknowledged it with a nod of his head before departing.

Shadow hadn’t thought much of the encounter or visited  _ Cherry Pink _ again until he’d been returning from a mission, just like now, and the smell of pecan pie and caramel lured him inside.

That first happened a little over a year ago. Since then, entering for a cup of coffee and a bite of something sweet has become some kind of routine, even if he hasn’t been sent on missions in a while. Amy would keep her distance at first, but slowly she started lingering around his table, trying to strike a conversation.

He’d become her first regular, she once said, giggling as she set the plate of strawberry rhubarb pie in front of him, and the smile she gave him that day made something good flicker to life inside of him as the first piece of his walls crumbled between them. 

During the times he visited,  _ Cherry Pink _ was never full of customers. Rose disclosed they were more frequent in early mornings or lunch hours, and sometimes in the afternoons when school girls met up to (try to) study, but ended up mostly chatting. It seemed he just had good timing to drop by when the bakery was at its quietest, which in turn allowed her to sit across from him for a conversation of their own, even if she did most of the talking. 

It didn’t take long until he became the first person to get a slice out of some new creation of hers, and she’d eagerly wait for his feedback, staring with wide, bright eyes as he savored the dish. That, too, became a routine, and he couldn’t be mad at Rose for making him her little guinea pig for her kitchen adventures when she was feeding him such exquisite sweets. 

It’s a much better and a far more enjoyable alternative to being a guinea pig in an actual lab, and though the memories of those times are faint, Shadow remembers with clarity all the discomfort he put up with for the sake of his friend.

Rose whirls around to face the entrance, nearly dropping the boxes with a yelp when she sees him standing there. She’s grown a lot, both in the physical sense and not, and he rather likes how she’s mature but still holds some of that innocent sparkle in her eyes from years before, some of that girlishness and brightness that makes her uniquely  _ Amy Rose _ . 

“You scared me!” She scolds with a glare, but it’s quickly replaced by one of her dazzling smiles. His own lips twitch in return, curling upwards in a half-smirk, half-smile thing that once made her speechless. 

It’s weird to think, sometimes, that she gets that reaction out of him so easily. He’s known Rouge for years and she might have witnessed such sights much less than the pink hedgehog. “My apologies,” he offers as she fusses over the boxes, opening the lid to peek inside each of them. 

“No problem! I’d be mad if I’d dropped these, though.” She sighs in relief, closing the last box again. “I haven’t seen you in a while. Were you in another mission again?”

Shadow offers a nod in answer to her question and doesn’t elaborate; it’s classified information and she understands that. “Are you closing up?”

“Yeah. I’m sorry I can’t offer you anything to drink right now. But you can have one of these if you want?” She waves a hand at the piled boxes on the counter. 

“No, it’s fine. I should have paid attention to the time.” Shadow silently curses himself for being an inconvenience; he’d felt so compelled to see her again that he didn’t even bother to check the time. Perhaps he can repay her somehow. “Are these for someone?”

Rose shrugs and picks up the boxes. “Kind of? These are the leftovers of the day. I like to drop them off at shelters and orphanages on the way home. I get to help people instead of just throwing food away.” 

That is such an  _ Amy Rose _ thing to do, and he shouldn’t be surprised at the reveal. She always goes out of her way to help others, extends her hand to those in need without looking at who they are - these same kind hands were offered to him time and again, that same smile and kind eyes turned to him without prejudice. In so many ways, Rose reminds him of her _ - _

“Let me walk you there,” he offers, shutting down that train of thought before it can develop further. Without waiting for her answer, he takes the stack of boxes from her hands and expertly balances it in one of his palms. 

She rolls her eyes good naturedly at the display, then smiles genuinely once again. “Thank you, Shadow. That’s nice of you.” 

Nice. That’s not a word that goes hand-in-hand with his name very often, if at all, and normally he would object, but he doesn’t. Not this time. Something seems to flicker in his chest and that recurring, but still strange warm feeling envelops his body, a sensation that has been happening more often over the course of the past months.

Shadow silently follows her outside, waiting as she locks up the bakery and trying to ignore the heat blooming under his ribcage as it slowly spreads its roots deeper into his heart. 

Rose shares with him her plans for the bakery, and when she runs out of things to say, she updates him on the lives of their friends. When there’s no more to share, they lapse into silence. It’s a comfortable one, and an errant thought always comes around during these times, that staying with her like this more often wouldn’t be so bad. 

By the time they reach a homeless shelter, Shadow has beaten back other thoughts of similar nature. The visit is kept brief, lingering just enough to drop the boxes off, and Shadow offers to walk her home. He's repaying for his earlier blunder, and it's unsafe to walk alone at night, that's all.

They continue in that comfortable silence towards a building ways away from the bakery, farther than he'd have expected, their hands bumping every few steps. Each accidental touch causes him a strange reaction, like a different leap of his heart or a hitch of his breath, or an involuntary twitch of his hand as it longs to reach out and hold her own.

After some minutes, the lights of the street flicker on, and a couple of minutes later, they come to a stop outside her building. It’s simple and modest, with trimmed hedges on the sidewalk in front of silver fences and a series of steps that lead up to the single entrance. Nothing like his building with its fire escape visible to every pedestrian, but not like Rouge’s opulent residence either.

She whirls around as they stop on the sidewalk, people walking past them at the peak of rush hour. He catches how she wrings her hands before hiding them behind her back, and how her gaze flits in his direction every few seconds. 

Rose hadn't been known for her sense of personal space in the past, and though she's gotten better at it, old habits die hard, he supposes. As her arms wrap around him, he thinks back to a time many years ago, on an island that is no more when she'd embraced him from behind, having mistaken him for that faker. Only now, there is no mistake, she knows fully well who she is enveloping in her arms, whose chest she's nuzzling her cheek into, and he finds that he's not at all opposed to this contact.

Not when it comes from her, that is.

More strange than that realization, however, is the searing fire that explodes in his chest towards the tips of his limbs, climbing outwards up his chest and down his arms, and the sudden erratic beating of his heart as its speed seems to rival his own.

“Thank you, Shadow,” she says once again in a soft whisper, slowly pulling away from him to give him a kind smile. The close proximity of their faces steals the air from his lungs, and cold air embraces his limbs as she slowly disentangles from him, avoiding eye contact. Her cheeks are red.

When Rose steps away to enter her building, it takes conscious effort to stop himself from reaching out. Minutes might have passed before he unfreezes and bolts out of there, mind clouded with confusion and things he can't comprehend.

His rapid heart rate has nothing to do with the run.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The day is mine (and Mozie's! would you look at that), but y'all get to celebrate too! I tweaked this chapter quite a lot so hopefully it's good to go without me having to sit down and look it over again. Either way I'll be coming back to this to check in the future akfhakjfhafha
> 
> So, I thought it would be fun and nice to show glimpses of their past together :^) I picked a few moments that I think would be worth exploring, and one of them happens to be the night he returns from the mission that leads to all of this. But here's the thing: I would delve into that moment, keep it vague and not too explicit, but it would still get kinda sexy and I'd have to adjust the rating of the fic. So! Anyone interested in that? No? Please, let me know. If left to my own devices, I'll just do whatever I feel like when I get to that part ajfhakfjh 🌸


	6. the apology

Once her tears have dried, Amy takes it upon herself to clean up the dishes as Shadow retreats to their suite to get ready for another day of work. It gives her a chance to recollect herself, her breathing and heartbeat slowing down as she scrubs the dirty plates. 

His touch alone the previous night had assuaged her worries, but the vocal confirmation makes them dissipate completely. It’s almost like she can breathe easily again, the weight of her anxiety lifting off from her chest and allowing her ribs to expand fully to fill her lungs with air. Her rapid pulse slows to a steady, calm thrum, and Amy smiles to herself in the quietness of the kitchen.

The knowledge that Shadow is happy with the news, even if he still has to get used to the idea, fills her with a warmth unparalleled by anything she’s felt before. She never wants to be the reason why that rare smile of his fades; she only wants to fill his life with more happiness and love. After all that he’s gone through, Shadow deserves to love and be loved in return with the same intensity. 

He doesn’t let many people get close to him, but when he does, he’s fiercely loyal to the end. Amy considers herself lucky that Shadow’s decided to bestow his love to her, and she vowed to do everything in her power to never make him regret that choice, to let him know every day that he’s appreciated and loved.

To never hurt him.

That being said, Amy has to admit she failed in her vow during breakfast. Even if he’s let her in, and as much as he’s been trying to open up, Shadow still keeps feelings and emotions to himself. She doesn’t really mind it, as she’s come to learn to read the nuances and slight shifts in his mood and body language, which is why she was able to pick up the moment when his mood soured briefly as she voiced her fears. 

Amy knew he would be upset if she told him the truth - he trusts her to always trust him, after all - but it would be worse if she lied about why she was so nervous. Apologies are in order, she decides, and quickly dries her hands before heading to their bedroom. 

By now, Shadow has already finished his shower and is looking for a clean dress shirt to wear to work. All the money he saved over the years from his work at G.U.N. permitted them to purchase a fairly large apartment when they became engaged a little over three years ago. Of course Amy had money of her own saved, but he had insisted on paying a larger sum, finally finding an use to the money in his bank account. 

At the time, she had noticed it would be a good place to own if they ever planned to have kids, as it has enough spare rooms to turn into extra bedrooms, but it hadn’t been the main reason why she wanted it. The floor plan is like one from magazines, all open spaces and sleek surfaces, and the location is close enough to both his job and hers. Not to mention the view.

Shadow is toweling his quills dry, already dressed in black slacks and shoes as he stares into the open doors of his section of the closet. He must be spacing out, she guesses, because he owns a _great_ _variety_ of dress shirts ranging from white to black and the shades in between. There are a few crimson shirts, and fewer dark blue ones, that he keeps around for special occasions, such as office parties. Either way, it shouldn’t take him this long to pick one.

He blinks when her hand enters his line of sight, watching as she picks a plain light grey dress shirt from the hanger and presents it to him with a smile. Shadow nods at her choice and tosses the damp towel on a nearby stool, kept around for when she needs to sit down and put on heels, and takes the shirt to dress himself.

Once his arms are pushed through the sleeves, Amy tugs on the collar and arranges it before she begins buttoning his shirt, starting from the bottom. She doesn’t do it often and knows Shadow would rather do it himself, but he stands still and observes her as she continues anyway. 

Despite the weight of their previous conversation still hanging over them, this morning feels very domestic. Breakfast was cooked by her loving husband, and here she is helping him dress for work. If someone had told her teen self that this would be her future, she would have laughed and showed them her tarot cards.

“I’m sorry.” Her eyes flick up to his before focusing on the third button as she pushes it through the hole. 

“You did nothing wrong,” he replies smoothly. “There’s nothing to forgive.” 

“I know I hurt you, Shadow. It wasn’t my intention. I just-” Amy sighs, shrugging a shoulder half-heartedly. She doesn’t know how to explain it to him when she could barely understand her concerns herself. “I couldn’t seem to stop worrying, but... I knew all along that you’d never turn your back on us.” 

Shadow is quiet as she finishes buttoning the rest of the shirt, leaving the top one undone so it won’t be too restricting. She’s sure the G.U.N. dress code requires a necktie, but he hardly ever wears one on the daily. If there’s someone who can get away with it, it’s him.

Amy smooths her hands down the front of his shirt to keep them occupied, but soon has to lift her gaze to meet with his again. She’s glad to see he isn’t mad, and recognizes the contemplative look that means he is picking the next words. 

Finally, he exhales quietly and turns his face away, looking at the bathroom still filled with steam from his shower. Her heart squeezes involuntarily. “I won’t deny that it hurt me, yes, but it’s not entirely your fault. We never talked about this, so I can’t blame you for reacting like that, even if I think you were overreacting a little.” 

He looks at her from the corner of his eyes as his lips quirk up in a slight smirk. Amy returns it with a sheepish smile, a wave of relief washing over her. “But I’m glad you were aware of that all along. I’m not leaving unless you tell me to.” 

“I will never,” she replies immediately with a shake of her head, a frown creasing her forehead. In response, his smirk softens into a smile and he turns back to face her fully. “I know I’ve always wanted a family, but I didn’t even know if you’d ever want to have children. And I- I guess I didn’t want to force you to deal with something you didn’t wish for. This caught us out of the blue, and we’re so unprepared. I just want you to be happy.”

“And I told you that I am. I always am with you,” he replies, and his earnestness makes her blush. “Are you?” 

“Don’t ever dare to question my happiness when it comes to you,” she shoots back, repeating his words from earlier, and he chuckles lightly with a slight shake of his head. “Yes, I am, Shadow. More than you know.” 

“I think I might have an idea,” he teases, reaching out and pulling her closer by the waist. “Your happiness is most important to me. As long as you’re happy, I’m happy. The rest we can figure out together.” 

In their closet, still dressed in her pajamas and with quills tangled from a night’s sleep, Amy pushes on her tiptoes to place a kiss to his lips. Shadow, now fully dressed and ready for work, returns the gesture sweetly, gently cupping her face as his other hand tightens around her waist. A little thrill shoots up her spine and she smiles into the kiss, slowly opening her eyes to meet with his own.

Caressing her cheek with his thumb, he pulls back just enough to see her without going cross-eyed. “Will you be okay?” He asks quietly, now brushing her quills over her shoulder. “I can call the day off and help you at the bakery, if you’d like.”

The offer is tempting - Amy will never pass up an opportunity to spend more time with him - but she knows he has things that need to be done at the headquarters, and a pile of paperwork is probably waiting with his name on it. Lightly, she shakes her head. “Cream and I can handle it, don’t worry.” 

He nods slowly, eyes flicking to her face as he continues to play with her quills. “Are you going to tell her?” 

“Not yet, but we should talk about breaking the news to them.” After she gets an appointment with a doctor, preferably.

“Good plan.” Shadow kisses her brow and steps away, tugging on his cuffs as he walks out of the closet. She follows him into the living room, where he picks his coat from the wall hanger by the entrance. “I was thinking,” he turns around as he’s buttoning it, regarding her with a raised brow. “We could go to that restaurant you like tonight to celebrate.”

Amy perks up, her heart skipping a beat. A dinner to celebrate her pregnancy? On her favorite restaurant? The one he took her to their first date? Oh wow, he really is perfect. “You mean the bistro downtown that serves Spagonian food?” 

“That one, yes.” He smiles again as she rushes forward to loop her arms around his neck in a hug. Shadow places his hand on her lower back to keep her close, and she can feel her tail flicking with joy. “See you tonight?” 

“Tonight,” she reassures, giving him one last kiss before he leaves for work. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't remember anymore where I was trying to go with this, but I thought it would be important to have this happen afhakjf so here, enjoy this bit of domesticity that I don't usually write but often appreciate. 
> 
> Also as per asked, the majority of the votes told me to go for it, so the rating has been upped to M. The fun stuff won't be happening for a while though, and I'll leave notes at the beginning when they do in case you want to avoid it. I might pull a ff.net move and include a symbol or something in the story if needed to make avoiding the spicyness easier. 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter, folks 🌸

**Author's Note:**

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